France coach Didier Deschamps says Morocco have earned their place among the leading teams at the 2026 World Cup and insists the Atlas Lions’ run to the quarter-finals is no coincidence.
The two sides meet in Boston on Thursday with a place in the semi-finals at stake, in a repeat of their memorable 2022 World Cup semi-final encounter.
Speaking ahead of the match, Deschamps praised Morocco’s performances throughout the tournament and dismissed any suggestion that their progress has been unexpected.
“The higher you climb the mountain, the greater the challenge becomes,” Deschamps said.
“Morocco aren’t here by accident. They’re among the very best teams in this tournament.
“It will be a clash between two nations who want the ball, look to attack and score goals.”
Morocco have continued to build on their historic campaign in Qatar four years ago, when they became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Their latest run has reinforced their status as one of the strongest teams in international football, and Deschamps believes France will need to be at their best to overcome them.
While acknowledging Morocco’s quality, the France coach also highlighted areas where his own team must improve.
Les Bleus have been one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking sides, scoring 14 goals in five matches to become joint-top scorers at the World Cup.
Their attacking success has been driven by some of football’s biggest names, including Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, who are both competing for the adidas Golden Boot award.
Michael Olise has also played a major role in France’s attacking output, emerging as the tournament’s leading assist provider.
However, Deschamps believes his team still have another level to reach, particularly when it comes to converting their opportunities.
“We’re very efficient, but we could have been even more so,” said the France coach.
“The further we go in the competition, the more important that becomes. To have 100 per cent efficiency – that would certainly be ideal.”
The France manager has previously expressed frustration when his side have failed to take full advantage of scoring chances, despite their impressive goal tally.
Against Morocco, he knows missed opportunities could prove costly.
The Atlas Lions have developed a reputation for defensive organisation and tactical discipline, qualities that helped them defeat some of Europe’s strongest nations during their 2022 World Cup run.
For France, the challenge will be finding a way through a Morocco side that combines defensive resilience with attacking ambition.
